The present invention relates to a purging apparatus and more particularly to such an apparatus which is adapted in a variety of operative environments to remove viscous fluid or particulate matter from a predefined remote area and transmit such matter to a more accessible location for collection or disposal, such as in the case of sand collected by a separator attached to a fluid pump submerged in a water well.
There are a variety of operative environments in which it is desirable to transfer particulate matter from a remote location of difficult access to a more accessible area. One such environment exists where pumps are employed at depth in water wells. As disclosed by the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,608, a seperating device, or separator, is mounted on the intake end of such a pump for the removal of sand, silt, clay, and other water borne foreign particles prior to introduction of the water into the pump so as to minimize the likelihood of damage or inordinate wear being caused to the pump by such foreign particles. The particles removed by the seperator are thereafter transmitted through conduits to the discharge end of the pump so as to circumvent the pump itself. Separators have proven to be of vital importance in minimizing submersible pump wear and avoiding the necessity of pulling the pump from the well for the replacement of worn parts at intervals approaching prohibitive frequency. However, the venturi tubes and other structure heretofore required to initiate and continue such pump by-pass produce an undesirable pressure drop.
Dredging operations present another environment in which the removal of particulate matter from areas is required. The continual influx of sand, silt, clay, and the like to canals, rivers, lakes, and harbors requires that the beds of such bodies of water periodically be dredged for the removal of these materials. Unless dredging is performed, such bodies of water become unusable and frequently contribute to flood danger. Prior art procedures call for the use of one of a variety of cumbersome implements to scoop such material from the bed of the body of water for deposit on the bank of the body of water of disposal. However, the cumbersome movement of such implements during dredging creates disruptive turbulence and agitates much of the material into fluid suspension thus polluting and otherwise damaging the area. The pollution destroys fish and plant life and may be hazardous to human health where such bodies of water are drawn from as sources of public drinking water. In aggravated situations, the resultant pollution may cause virtually irreparable harm.
Therefore, it has long been recognized that it would be desirable to have a purging apparatus which could be employed rapidly and efficiently to remove particulate matter from a confined remote area and transport such material to a more accessible location without the use of operative elements which would be subject to rapid wear.